PR: Master Game Face winners recall once-in-a-lifetime experience watching Gilas in Spain

Hailed as the most valuable fans in the 2014 FIBA World Cup, millions of Filipinos from around the globe stormed social networking sites to show their support for Gilas Pilipinas. They also came in throngs to Seville, Spain to watch the national squad live as they competed in the world’s biggest basketball event.

Master, the #1 Men’s Face Care brand that gives an oil and pimple-free look to all Filipino men with its Facial Wash and Face Cleanser ranges, recently concluded the “Master Goes to Spain” Promo.  It was a special, one of a kind promotion where 5 lucky Master Face Care users won a trip of a lifetime to watch Gilas Pilipinas compete in the FIBA World Cup last September 2014.

Among those who personally cheered and closely followed the FIBA journey of Gilas Pilipinas were “Master Game Face Goes to Spain” promo winners Jose Clipper Besin, Michael Cleofe, Jeiel Guarino, Jerome Christopher Hernandez, and Andrew Paul Peñaranda. Fhey enjoyed an 8-day all-expense stay in Seville and watched the national men’s basketball team put their game faces on against Croatia, Greece, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Senegal.

Five lucky Pinoys were treated to the trip of a lifetime in #Spain2014.

Master Game Face Challenge Year 2

As a kid growing up, one of my dreams was to play basketball for a living. Playing in the PBA would have been my greatest achievement. Unfortunately, that never materialized due to my lack of skills and talents in balling. However, Master Facial Wash gave me an opportunity to play and compete with high-caliber talents from the UAAP, NCAA, and PBA. There was no way I was passing on the chance to play with/against Jean-Marc Pingris (San Mig Coffee) and Chris Tiu (Rain or Shine) from the PBA. Wait. What? How'd this happen?

Year 2 of the Master Game Face Challenge was launched this past Thursday!

Well, I was invited as part of the media to cover the Master Game Face Challenge Year 2 launch on April 24 held at the Treston International College Gym in Bonifacio Global City. This event would promote Master Facial Wash and Face Cleaners along with the introduction of two all-star basketball teams named Team Marc and Team Chris. Free food (catered by T.G.I. Fridays) was served to the guests, and the main program involved a 3-on-3 basketball exhibition teaser. The teams were composed of Marc Pingris and his selected guys (Andre Paras, Roi Sumang, Jericho Cruz) going against Chris Tiu and his boys (Jeron Teng, Kevin Ferrer, and Mike Tolomia). Sounds normal right? For the most part, yes, until they included ONE media guy to play with each all-star team. There were four teams in the mini-tournament, and the first to get two wins would be crowned the winners.

Filoil Flying V and Master: An All-Star Pairing

The people organizing the 2013 Filoil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup and those behind Master Facial Wash have something cooking for hoops fans this summer.

In the media launch cum press conference today held in the posh URBN Restobar at the Fort Strip, officials from both Filoil Flying V and Unilever, the company behind Master, announced the Master Game Face All-Star Basketball Challenge.

The 2013 Master Game Face Challenge is unveiled.

Working around the mindset, “You cannot be a winning athlete unless you have the winning look,” the folks behind Master, guided by Gina Lorenzana, Unilever’s VP for Personal Care, partnered with the most prestigious summer hoops tournament, the Filoil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup, to come up with this landmark sporting event. This is something that isn’t new for the people at Unilever, of course, as they’ve partnered with football (Clear Dream Match) and running (Rexona Run) in the past to bring a more engaging and interactive experience to the fans.

The basic premise is this: there will be two All-Star teams, each coached by two of the most highly-regarded alumni of the collegiate game – Chris Tiu and Borgie Hermida – and each made up of players from the participating schools in the Filoil joust.

Master Philippines and Filoil Flying V team up for the
first ever Summer Collegiate Basketball All-Star Game.

Team Chris will have its players come from the following schools:
- Adamson University
- Ateneo de Manila University
- Collegio de San Juan de Letran
- De La Salle University
- Lyceum College of the Philippines
- San Sebastian College
- Southwestern University
- University of the East
- University of Sto. Tomas

On the other end of the floor, Team Borgie will have its players come from the following schools:
- Arellano University
- College of Saint Benilde
- Emilio Aguinaldo College
- Far Eastern University
- Jose Rizal University
- National University
- San Beda College
- University of Perpetual Help
- University of the Philippines

Working with same framework used in the NBA All-Star Game, hoops fans will vote for the starters of each team. This will be done through the Master Game Face Voting app that can be found on Facebook.com/MasterPhilippines. After the starters have been finalized and revealed, Chris and Borgie will choose the remaining 13 reserves for their respective squads. The voting app will officially be available on April 17, 2013, and the voting period will officially end on May 19, 2013. As a bonus, voters will get a chance to win 2 ringside tickets to the Game Face All-Star Challenge. The final rosters for each team will be announced on May 25, 2013 through the Facebook account of Master Philippines. The All-Star Challenge itself will be on June 8, 2013 at the San Juan/Filoil Flying V Arena. Tickets to the game are priced at Php100 for upper box seats and Php200 for lower box seats. These are available through SM Tickets.

STEP 1: Go to the Master Philippines Facebook page and
log on to the Game Face app.

STEP 2: Vote for your favorite player for each position.

STEP 3: Complete all ten positions/slots and then submit it!

In organizing this event, Unilever hopes to educate teenagers about proper facial grooming, especially since Master is perfect for those who engage in sports like basketball.

Chris Tiu, who did his very first ad for Master when he was still in college, had this to say, ““I’m very excited about it. It’s a brilliant idea to get the NCAA and UAAP as well as other non-member schools to participate in this one of a kind all-star game. This is something new for the fans, something that not everyone gets to see, and I look forward to that.”

As one of the new brand ambassadors for Master, Borgie Hermida explained, “The fan vote will be very interesting, since the fans will have so many talented players to choose from. Just at first look we have a lot of great players; Ola [Adegon], Bobby Ray, RR [Garcia].”

In the meantime, it was formally announced that 18 teams will be participating in this year’s Filoil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup, which will begin this Saturday, April 13, 2013, with three titanic games – San Beda against NU at 2pm, UST versus DLSU at 4pm, and Ateneo tangling with SWU in the nightcap. The 2pm and 4pm games will be televised through Studio 23. The whole tournament is slated to end on June 12, 2013.

All eight teams from the UAAP and nine NCAA teams will participate, with SWU as the lone out-of-town squad added to the roster. This season will also have the requisite Juniors division and, for the very first time, a Women’s division, too.

For this summer, a lot of people want to see if NU can repeat as champion, how the Blue Eagles and Red Lions will play under new coaches – Bo Perasol and Boyet Fernandez respectively, and just how strong the DLSU Green Archers and the UST Growling Tigers are going to be. The happy times are here again, folks – college basketball is back!


All images are courtesy of Filoil Flying V Sports and Master Philippines.